writing sample

[latenight]

in all the literature i've been reading about applying to phd programs, i have come across little to no advice on writing samples - where to find one (senior thesis vs. term paper), how/to what extent to edit one, etc. any ideas?

[rising_star]

in all the literature i've been reading about applying to phd programs, i have come across little to no advice on writing samples - where to find one (senior thesis vs. term paper), how/to what extent to edit one, etc. any ideas?

My #1 Idea: Ask your advisor/a professor you trust. That said...

Your senior thesis is going to be too long to use as a writing sample. Not to mention, if you're applying in senior year, you may not have enough of it ready to use. So polishing up a term paper may be a better idea. You definitely want to edit it and make it as good as you can. If it's related to what you want to study in grad school, even better.

[NewVolunteer]

Firstly, I would try to find more instructional materials that include advice on the writing sample. I went to my university library and dug up everything I could on applying to grad school and found loads of books with chapters dedicated to both the writing sample and the statement of purpose. I assembled notes and went from there. It's generally agreed that the writing sample is the *most* important part of your application as a potential grad student in literature, so make sure you get it right. Different universities have different expectations though, so you should look carefully at their websites to find exactly what they're looking for. Most of them will include explicit instructions on what sort of work they want from you (Duke's English Dept. website has model instructions http://english.duke.edu/grads/faqs.php Question 18). Some will want longer samples, some shorter. Some will require samples that include secondary sources, others will not. Some will want papers that your undergraduate professors have edited, others will want your original work.

As a general rule though, you're going to want to offer up a sample that not only exhibits your best prose, insight, and usage of sources, but also agrees with your proposed specialty and possibly illuminates your unique approach to the field. Ideally you'll be able to incorporate your writing sample into your statement of purpose. When stating your goals as a grad student, you'll be able to point to the topic of your writing sample for emphasis. For example: A student hoping to specialize in 19th Century American Fiction at the graduate level might use his senior paper on Melville's 'Clarel' to point up his ability to evaluate and contribute to the discussion of that particular work AND explicitly state in his SOP how and why that thesis will be indicative of his approach to the field as a graduate student.

What you do NOT want to do is send off a writing sample that has nothing to do with your proposed specialty, an error a lot of people seem to make. Being a gifted writer with well-honed analytical skills won't get you far if you aren't writing to your audience. Try to tailor your writing sample to the department you're applying to by emphasizing the right aspect of it in your SOP. The admissions committee is going to be looking for candidates that they know have academic potential and that they believe to have a definite sense of direction and purpose at the graduate level. If your *entire* application package speaks to that kind of direction by conveying a real, well-planned purpose in undertaking graduate studies, you'll immediately set yourself apart from the field. In the end, the more you can appear to be focused, the better, and the more your writing sample agrees with your stated goals, the more you'll come across as someone who has a real reason for going to graduate school.

[latenight]

thanks, rising_star and NewVolunteer, for your advice. i do have a senior thesis complete (last year) and am currently working on coursework and my masters dissertation, which i predict won't be ready to use as a writing sample. i most likely will pull from my senior thesis in many of my applications, but the issue of editing seems tricky here. is it a good idea to modify a chapter to include some introductory and concluding remarks to guide the reader, even though that might mean changing the chapter a good deal? is "editing" merely brushing up style and grammar, or is it fair game to add sources and analysis as well, where needed?

additionally, how do people feel about translating writing samples? i've been thinking of translating some of my papers (or senior thesis chapter) from french to english or vice versa in some of my applications (to comparative literature or french studies programs). any thoughts on this?

[rising_star]

I wouldn't translate your sample unless they specifically ask for that. As far as editing, do what you think is necessary unless the school says otherwise.